I’d be interested on views on this

I agree with the walking past at a sage distance .. and the person who mentioned overthinking the rules .. I guess not many of us on here experienced actual war time conditions .. which went on for years not months along with all the deprivation that war entailed ... I can only just remember some rationing when I was small .. however as a grandparent I am itching to see my granddaughter again .. so is my husband . He can’t see why we can’t drive to see them and sit outside their house and wave ! But what good would that do ? We’d all get upset and it would be a 100 mile round trip ! We FaceTime nearly every day so she won’t forget us .. I want to see my daughter and son in law too... but we text also every day and they are doing a great job both working from home .. thank goodness .. and sharing looking after their daughter ( demanding 2 year old ) .. she must be missing her friends from nursery too. But thankfully she’s blissfully unaware of the situation . But if I lived nearer to them I’d definitely walk past and at least wave and have a little chat at the proper distance .. course I would .. as long as no one was upset by it and it was part of my daily routine .. no cuddles till it’s allowed though .. ?

I really can’t see the difference between chatting with a stranger in a queue and chatting with a family member you might encounter. I literally live a stones throw from my grandchildren. If they are in the garden when I go for a walk, they come over to the wall and we have a little chat. I stay at least 10 feet away from them and am not making a ‘non-essential’ journey to pass their garden. I speak to other neighbours as I pass, too.

Starting last week we sat outside our house with our neighbours. Everyone brought their own chair and drink. We all sat a lot more than 2 metres apart. We agreed that it had done us so all much good that it will become a weekly event weather permitting. One neighbour in particular is unwell and prone to depression. It really lifted her mood.
We also visit local family once a week. It’s a 5 minute car ride. We stand on the pavement and they stand by their front door. We chat for 10 minutes. We are so much further away from them than we would be in a shop or on the street that we feel we’re not taking any risks. I know not everyone would agree but this helps us get by.

I stand on a stepladder so I can see over the fence and have coffee everyday with my friend next door. She sits on her patio and make our own coffee.

Sometimes (only about monthly) my daughter drops off shopping. She leaves it in the porch. We have a good chat through a closed window - on the phone. I don't see any problem with that.

Chestnut please don't hang out your window too far as you could have an accident. The last thing anyone needs now is to end up in hospital.

Witzend I feel the same as you. My GC aren't very far away but if I did visit in person I'd get upset and be unable to Control my urge to hug them all, so I'm my personal feelings are its e|||better to keep away, what I can say is thank goodness for technology. At least we all can speak to our loved ones via video call.

My son gets my shopping , knocks and then stands at the front gate, I stand on my porch,we chat for about 5 mins . And it's nice. My daughter lives just down the road but has many anxieties about leaving the house at the moment. And she wants us to stay home. So we don't see het other than by facetiming. But I respect her and understand her anxieties so would not do or say anything to make them worse for her.

My Neighbour's DD stands on the drive and talks as she passes on her evening walk and all is well.
Another neighbour started off with family talking on the drive but then they started going into the house, that neighbour now has the virus.
I do not see a problem if they really do observe the safe distance, sadly some will do what they want regardless.

Bathsheba,, and there lies the problem, everyone is NOT grown up,, hear of the cars being driven as though on a race track? false news?

I think the Government should EXPLAIN the whys and wherefores...

could make someone like me,, get in my car and go visit my gks.. about 6 miles away???

create resentment,, well people are human beings and no everyone is not sensible and adult unfortunately,

why the stockpiling? why those who can go to Supermarkets, within the rules, still having online orders and delivery,, to name but a few

deep sighs

I think the Government should explain the why!
I asked my MP to confirm that "self isolated, over 70`s, no underlying....etc! and for Government written guidelines on this.. His assistant admitted they did not know and had to go search and enquire of other departments for the written guidelines...

I asked for this because another lady and I differed on the interpretation..
perhaps we are heading for stricter lockdowns because of those "adults" are not observing the rules?

Can't see any problem as long as social distancing is observed. As for sitting on a bench touched by an asymptomatic carrier...well similar could happen on an 'essential' outing to supermarket, pharmacy etc. That's why we try not to touch our faces and do wash our hands frequently.

I'm a bit concerned that you bumped into your friend!

People are doing this. It is not a problem. My neighbour sees his daughter & GC every day as she shops for him & drops it round. Then she stands in front garden & he stands at window or front door & they chat.
I just wish my DGC were close enough for me to do the same!
(although I don't need anyone shopping for me & I'm shopping for neighbours.)

I too don't understand why your friend couldn't walk the mile to her daughters house and talk to her over the gate/fence, I wouldn't go as far as to suggest they all sit 2m apart in the garden but over the fence or gate is different , its no different to being in the crowded supermarket or on public transport, the govt say that children can pass between parents / carers so what is the difference in what your friend wants to do. Thats just my thoughts

There's no reason at all why your friend should not see her family from a distance. In fact I would say that in view of her distress then it would be a positive thing to do. It's important that we do what we can to make this very difficult situation as bearable as possible. Especially as it is likely to be going on for some time yet.

Son brings my shopping but he wears gloves and wipes everything he touches. He sits in the garden for a cup of tea but doesn't come in.

We all have to think before we do anything whether that action could result in the virus being passed on. I don't think people should enter anyone else's property even just the garden.
Chatting to someone on a walk for a few minutes, and keeping well away is unlikely to transfer the virus.

Or visiting friends too, not just family.

We can agree to disagree, I just stated my opinion.

I think sitting in the garden, within 2 metres should be ok, shouldn't it?

My neighbour rang me this morning, said it's his birthday today - he lives alone, gets lonely - and said he's having a few friends round for a party this evening! He invited my husband and me......we declined. Madness.

It’s nonsense to think that everyone is going to do this, because most people don’t live within walking distance of family. Not one person in my street has family nearby and not one of my DC lives closer to me than almost two hours drive. If only I could walk on water to visit my son 4,000 miles away.

The only issue I see with this is that if she wants to see her family and chat at a distance - this is one individual case.

How about everybody doing it? How many more people would be in the streets? How often?
What if you need to stop to rest in a bench that has been touched before by an asymptomatic carrier?

Too many weak links.

Videochats, while not the same, are safer for the whole community , I think

Thanks for your comments everyone. If I meet this lady on my walk this afternoon I’m going to suggest to her to reroute and go take a walk past her daughter’s house for a safe distance chat. I’m sure she’ll feel much better if she did. I’m now wondering if I’m fit for the 25 mile round trip to my daughter’s but I might be a bit conspicuous walking along the hard shoulder!

Your friend is over thinking grannynannywanny there is nothing to stop her going by her daughter house and standing at a distance for a chat My daughter does this quite often she goes out for a run (shock horror according to the other thread, crime of the century) or a walk and knocks on my door she then steps back to the pavement which is about 10 or 12 ft away and we stand and have a chat for ten or fifteen minutes I blow her a kiss and she goes home we are both as happy as this lockdown can allow us to be
I see no reason to have a window open a crack starbird if no one is coughing or sneezing that’s a step too far
This week I walked to my friend half an hour away took my coat off sat on her driveway while she made me a cup of coffee She has been inside alone for a month so I have no worries about drinking out of her cup She set it down, went inside while I retrieved it, then I went back to the bottom of her driveway we chatted for half an hour she sat on a chair by her front door then we reversed the cup process and I came home
I do agree starbird if more draconian long term measures come in for the over 70 s I will not feel life is worth it

I can’t see why your friend shouldn’t see her daughter from a distance as a part of her family exercise. If she’s not driving there, why shouldn’t her route take her past her dd’s house? They can maintain a safe distance and have a wee chat, which whilst it isn’t the same as a proper visit, is better than nothing.

As for the comment about drinks, the weather, using the toilet etc, I’d ignore that. I’m sure your friend is grown up enough to use her own loo before she goes out, take a drink with her and refrain from going out in a thunderstorm.

As long as everyone is feeling fine and not coughing or sneezing I see no harm in passing by each other’s home to see each other through the window and talk with the window open a crack, or even on the phone, or arranging to be in a park at the same time, even if just to see each other from a distance.
There are rumours of even more draconian measures possibly to come for over 70’s going right up to December next year for those most at risk, but I believe that we should be allowed to have a say once the hospitals and medical staff are no longer under such great pressure. What is the point of being imprisoned at home if you only have a year or so left to live? Who would not rather hug their family and face the consequences rather than die without seeing them again?
Our grandchildren might find virtual reality satisfying but for most if not all of us, it is no substitute for a real hug with a loved one. I would happily give up snapchat and zoom etc for a year in exchange for a few hours of being with my family in the flesh.